Why are we here? Simply, Japan is the 2nd largest unreached people group in the world. (JoshuaProject.net)

Friday, January 09, 2009

I Love Jesus Christ

"Jesus Christ". It was 1997 and my friend had suddenly spoken up in his college class with these two words, not in a cursing tone but in a reasoning one. It was almost as if a gun had gone off. You could hear a pencil drop. Everyone knew that those two words were weighty, that they divide, and that whatever words would follow would carry a deep and powerful message for good or ill.

A couple weeks ago I was contemplating whether or not I should keep the words, "Jesus Christ" at the top of my blog. I decided that I do not care what other people think. I love Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone. (Yes, even more than my precious wife and kids.)

These words by John Piper also encouraged me to stay the course:

..here at the beginning of 2009, I [say], “I love Jesus Christ.”And as I say it, I want to make clear what I mean:

I admire Jesus Christ more than any other human or angelic being.

I enjoy his ways and his words more than I enjoy the ways and words of anyone else.

I want his approval more than I want the approval of anyone else.

I want to be with him more than I want to be with anyone else.

I feel more grateful to him for what he has done for me than I do to anyone else.

I trust his words more fully than I trust what anyone else says.

I am more glad in his exaltation than in the exaltation of anyone else, including me.